For the love of humanity, what is with all the shootings? Is this what a severe recession is? The economic woes certainly play a role, but it’s troubling that such senseless violence is occurring so frequently when this financial crisis is still unfolding. If we look at the murder rates from 1929-1933 (the beginning and height of the Great Depression) we see a rise from 8.4 in 1929 to 9.7 in 1933, after which it steadily declined.